In Chinese history, there are many stories filled with wisdom and strategy. Among them, the idiom "Returning the Perfect Jade to Zhao" originates from a story in the Spring and Autumn Period. It tells the story of how Zhao had to return the valuable He Shi Jade after obtaining it due to the strong pressure from Qin. However, the ending of this story was not perfect, and Zhao paid a huge price for it. This article will explore the impact on Zhao after returning the Perfect Jade.

First, we need to review the background of the story of returning the Perfect Jade to Zhao. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao obtained the invaluable He Shi Jade. After Qin learned of this, they proposed to exchange it for fifteen cities. Under the advice of the strategist Lin Xiangru, Zhao Huiwen King decided to accept this condition. However, during the exchange process, Lin Xiangru discovered that Qin had no sincerity and successfully retrieved the He Shi Jade and returned it to Zhao. This event was regarded as a major diplomatic victory for Zhao at that time.

However, behind this victory, there was a huge crisis looming for Zhao's future. As a powerful country at that time, Qin felt extremely angry about Zhao's actions. Qin Zhaoxiang King believed that Zhao's behavior had seriously damaged Qin's dignity and thus developed deeper hostility towards Zhao. This laid the groundwork for later Qin's aggressive actions against Zhao.

Soon after the incident of returning the Perfect Jade to Zhao, Qin began military strikes against Zhao. In 260 BC, the two countries engaged in a decisive battle at Changping. In the end, Zhao was defeated, and 400,000 Zhao troops were killed by Qin general Bai Qi. This battle completely destroyed Zhao's military strength. Since then, Zhao has been on the path of decline and was eventually destroyed by Qin in 228 BC.

Apart from military strikes, the incident of returning the Perfect Jade to Zhao also affected Zhao's international status. Other countries saw that although Zhao temporarily achieved a diplomatic victory, it ultimately provoked Qin's revenge. This made other countries weaken their trust and support for Zhao. To some extent, it also accelerated Zhao's decline.

In conclusion, although returning the Perfect Jade to Zhao was a diplomatic victory for Zhao, this victory brought greater disasters to it. In the long run, Zhao paid a huge price for it, not only collapsing militarily but also losing support from the international community. This historical event reminds us that when dealing with international relations, we need to carefully weigh the pros and cons to avoid temporary victories leading to long-term failures.

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